Comments on: Des Moines on the Down Low: Riverview Retro http://www.whitepoison.com/2009/03/25/des-moines-on-the-down-low-riverview-retro/ video, hip hop, culture and comedy. fashion and politics. Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:32:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: Judd Maher http://www.whitepoison.com/2009/03/25/des-moines-on-the-down-low-riverview-retro/comment-page-1/#comment-1136 Judd Maher Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:31:13 +0000 http://www.whitepoison.com/?p=1039#comment-1136 What a trip! My dad worked at Bankers Life (now The Principal Financial Group)in the early 60s. One day every June the park was rented out by the company for family day. I couldn't wait till that day arrived every year. A few years ago I was out there and found a chuck of the foundation that was the Tunnel of Love and stuck it in my pocket. I remember the climb up to the top and the terrific fall back into the water at the very end. I also remember the coaster, The Rock o Planes, Cuddle Up, Fun House, Ferris Wheel, Steam train, the Skyplanes the Wild Mouse and the Haunted House. I can smell the creosote, the oil from the train and the popcorn in the air. Snow cones and popcorn were a dime. When I visited the island a few years ago I was amazed at how I could place the location of every ride, especially with a few remaining foundations for reference points. Thanks for sharing your memories! What a trip! My dad worked at Bankers Life (now The Principal Financial Group)in the early 60s. One day every June the park was rented out by the company for family day. I couldn’t wait till that day arrived every year. A few years ago I was out there and found a chuck of the foundation that was the Tunnel of Love and stuck it in my pocket. I remember the climb up to the top and the terrific fall back into the water at the very end. I also remember the coaster, The Rock o Planes, Cuddle Up, Fun House, Ferris Wheel, Steam train, the Skyplanes the Wild Mouse and the Haunted House. I can smell the creosote, the oil from the train and the popcorn in the air. Snow cones and popcorn were a dime. When I visited the island a few years ago I was amazed at how I could place the location of every ride, especially with a few remaining foundations for reference points. Thanks for sharing your memories!

]]> By: Ed Linebach http://www.whitepoison.com/2009/03/25/des-moines-on-the-down-low-riverview-retro/comment-page-1/#comment-1128 Ed Linebach Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:02:31 +0000 http://www.whitepoison.com/?p=1039#comment-1128 Simply amazing...just ran across this. I see you took the pictures after the flood and after we started cleaning the island up-what I would like to see is even more current pictures. We have seeded the grounds and it looks amazing now, (I know you can't tell now because of all the snow...) Too bad it will get torn up again when the new levee goes through it in a few months but the end result will be fantastic! I am President of the Board of Directors for what is now known as Kiwanis Riverview Nature Island. Stay tuned as this park will be the best thing in the next few years! Check us out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=284251129029 Simply amazing…just ran across this.
I see you took the pictures after the flood and after we started cleaning the island up-what I would like to see is even more current pictures. We have seeded the grounds and it looks amazing now, (I know you can’t tell now because of all the snow…) Too bad it will get torn up again when the new levee goes through it in a few months but the end result will be fantastic! I am President of the Board of Directors for what is now known as Kiwanis Riverview Nature Island. Stay tuned as this park will be the best thing in the next few years!
Check us out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=284251129029

]]> By: Poopiedrawers http://www.whitepoison.com/2009/03/25/des-moines-on-the-down-low-riverview-retro/comment-page-1/#comment-595 Poopiedrawers Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:26:12 +0000 http://www.whitepoison.com/?p=1039#comment-595 I loved that place and remember it well. The shooting gallery was fascinating to a 10 year old fat kid. I had an Uncle that worked there way back and he said the speedboat crashed and kiiled someone then they discontinued it. There was the "Mouse Trap" that was the most dangerous mini coaster I have ever seen, the turns were sharp and fast, I believe that went to Adventureland but they did it in. The mouse trap was said to have flown off the track and sent a car in the river. Good times. The Des Moines Aquarium club was trying to get the Island in the late 80's to turn it into a huge Des Moines Aquarium Park, but the city declined. If it was East Village or West gateway to downtown they would have broken the bank to create it but since it is in a lower income area it fell to the wayside. The Aquarium went to the fair grounds and then went broke. Too bad really, there are some dedicated afishyonados in Des Moines. I took care of the piranhas until it closed. Riverview was a great place and laid to waste by our wonderful city planners. I loved that place and remember it well. The shooting gallery was fascinating to a 10 year old fat kid. I had an Uncle that worked there way back and he said the speedboat crashed and kiiled someone then they discontinued it. There was the “Mouse Trap” that was the most dangerous mini coaster I have ever seen, the turns were sharp and fast, I believe that went to Adventureland but they did it in. The mouse trap was said to have flown off the track and sent a car in the river. Good times. The Des Moines Aquarium club was trying to get the Island in the late 80′s to turn it into a huge Des Moines Aquarium Park, but the city declined. If it was East Village or West gateway to downtown they would have broken the bank to create it but since it is in a lower income area it fell to the wayside. The Aquarium went to the fair grounds and then went broke. Too bad really, there are some dedicated afishyonados in Des Moines. I took care of the piranhas until it closed. Riverview was a great place and laid to waste by our wonderful city planners.

]]> By: nine http://www.whitepoison.com/2009/03/25/des-moines-on-the-down-low-riverview-retro/comment-page-1/#comment-590 nine Thu, 26 Mar 2009 04:20:22 +0000 http://www.whitepoison.com/?p=1039#comment-590 this is some spooky, digital witchcraft. i dig it. this is some spooky, digital witchcraft. i dig it.

]]> By: Duke http://www.whitepoison.com/2009/03/25/des-moines-on-the-down-low-riverview-retro/comment-page-1/#comment-587 Duke Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:25:57 +0000 http://www.whitepoison.com/?p=1039#comment-587 Little known fact. We shot an early $trick9 music video down here years ago during the dead of winter. A. We were looking for a location that had some historic value to it. B. We needed a spot that was just plain beat. And, Riverview in the dead of winter is just plain beat. This was a cool location back in the day before most of that stuff got sent to Adventureland. Little known fact. We shot an early $trick9 music video down here years ago during the dead of winter.

A. We were looking for a location that had some historic value to it.
B. We needed a spot that was just plain beat. And, Riverview in the dead of winter is just plain beat.

This was a cool location back in the day before most of that stuff got sent to Adventureland.

]]> By: Pat Lydon http://www.whitepoison.com/2009/03/25/des-moines-on-the-down-low-riverview-retro/comment-page-1/#comment-586 Pat Lydon Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:20:52 +0000 http://www.whitepoison.com/?p=1039#comment-586 Kelli, This is great. I got chills looking at you pictures and reading your writings. You and I share a love for history. I am proud. Your Dad Kelli,
This is great. I got chills looking at you pictures and reading your writings. You and I share a love for history. I am proud.
Your Dad

]]> By: Kelli G http://www.whitepoison.com/2009/03/25/des-moines-on-the-down-low-riverview-retro/comment-page-1/#comment-583 Kelli G Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:58:14 +0000 http://www.whitepoison.com/?p=1039#comment-583 From what I understand, you could have access to the park for free, there was no admission fee. You just had to buy tickets to ride rides or pay money to play games and stuff. So theoretically, you could be totally broke and still go to Riverview and have a good time watching everything going on. Can you imagine just having open access to someplace like Adventureland? Man, those were the days. From what I understand, you could have access to the park for free, there was no admission fee. You just had to buy tickets to ride rides or pay money to play games and stuff. So theoretically, you could be totally broke and still go to Riverview and have a good time watching everything going on. Can you imagine just having open access to someplace like Adventureland? Man, those were the days.

]]> By: Mike http://www.whitepoison.com/2009/03/25/des-moines-on-the-down-low-riverview-retro/comment-page-1/#comment-582 Mike Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:49:50 +0000 http://www.whitepoison.com/?p=1039#comment-582 Great job Kelli! I will have to show my mom and dad, my dad grew up around there and would love to see these. I wish we would have been fortunate enough to have this instead of Adventureland. I once again prove my point that I was born in the wrong era. Great job Kelli! I will have to show my mom and dad, my dad grew up around there and would love to see these. I wish we would have been fortunate enough to have this instead of Adventureland. I once again prove my point that I was born in the wrong era.

]]> By: Mark http://www.whitepoison.com/2009/03/25/des-moines-on-the-down-low-riverview-retro/comment-page-1/#comment-579 Mark Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:46:05 +0000 http://www.whitepoison.com/?p=1039#comment-579 Great work we need to look back to see what is ahead Great work
we need to look back to see what is ahead

]]> By: Mary Perez Van Dam http://www.whitepoison.com/2009/03/25/des-moines-on-the-down-low-riverview-retro/comment-page-1/#comment-578 Mary Perez Van Dam Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:56:19 +0000 http://www.whitepoison.com/?p=1039#comment-578 That is really nice cuz can't wait to see more. Since I am old enough to remember Riverview Park and remember going there a lot with great memories this is a nice project you are doing. Keep it up. That is really nice cuz can’t wait to see more. Since I am old enough to remember Riverview Park and remember going there a lot with great memories this is a nice project you are doing. Keep it up.

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